Last week, IMF published its WEO update for July. Little to go by in the general 'news' terms, but a telling sign of just how well repaired the world economy is becoming.
First, off the top, IMF dropped its forecast for global growth for 2015 from 3.5% in April 2015 to 3.3% in July. 2016 outlook remains unchanged at 3.8%. Given IMF estimates 2013-2014 growth at 3.4% each year, this means that 2015 is now expected to be sub-average for the three years period - hardly a sign of an improvement.
When considered by broader regions, Advanced Economies drove deterioration in the outlook. 2015 growth in advanced economies is now projected to be around 2.1%, down on 2.4% projection back in April. 2016 outlook is unchanged at 2.4%. Meanwhile, Emerging Markets and Developing Economies growth forecast has deteriorated from 4.3% in 2015 projected back in April, to 4.2% in July update. 2016 outlook remains the same at 4.7% projected growth rate.
IMF lauded the return to growth in the Euro area, which is supposedly booming - forecast to expand at 1.5% in 2015 (July outlook), same as in April outlook. And the Fund produced a doozer of an uplift to 2016 forecast growth - from 1.6% expected back in April to 1.7% expected in July update. Meanwhile, the U.S. economy got severely downgraded to 2.5% forecast expansion for 2015 (against 3.1% forecast back in April) and to 3.0% expansion forecast for 2016 (against 3.1% forecast back in April).
You can't make this up: the return to growth in Europe is still full-blown 40 percent lower growth than in wobbling U.S. Just in case you wondered: over 2013-2015, according to the latest forecast from the Fund,
- U.S. economy will expand, cumulatively, by 5.39%
- Euro area economy will grow by 1.91%
- Japan will grow by 2.31%
- UK will expand by 7.16%, and
- Other Advanced Economies group will grow by 7.90%.
Yes, that's right - Euro area will under-perform Japan, the heroes of 'blanket QE bombing' of the economy.
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